Seaworthy, a three piece collective based in Sydney, Australia that revolves around core member Cameron Webb as well as Sam Shinazzi and Greg Bird, was formed in early 2000 to explore melodic and experimental approaches to the construction of minimalist sound scapes from looped guitar, warm drones, piano, electronics and field recordings.
Map In Hand often blurs the lines of conventional categorisation with elements traditionally considered part of “indie” or “post” rock blended with processed musical and field recordings usually associated with electronic music. Instruments and samples are often looped through amps and effects pedals, giving the sound an organic feel. Avoiding the muscular approach of loud/soft dynamics, Seaworthy concentrate on subtle shifts in melody, tone and texture to convey a sense of time and place.
The core sessions for Map In Hand took place over a few days in early Spring, 2006 and were book ended by recordings of birds from outside the home studio. There was little rehersal or preparation with many pieces featuring a strong element of improvisation. Recorded initially to cassette and reel-to-reel tape, the guitar loops and drones were then transferred to computer and assembled with minimal processing, preserving the initial feel of the music’s performance, complete with the happy accidents of errors, tape hiss and microphone overload that became intrinsically part of the compositions as much as any sounds produced by the instruments themselves.
There is a reflective quality to Map In Hand. A reminder that things don’t always need to be changing, to be attention grabbing or distracting and that there is beauty, not only in the object itself but in the process of appreciating that beauty.
Webb has a PhD in environmental science and specialises in field based ecological research where much of his time is spent in isolated wetland environments. Many field recordings undertaken in these locations form the basis for textural drones and rhythms from which guitar loops and percussion can be blended. Similarly, these environmental experiences form much of the inspiration for Seaworthy’s compositions and extend beyond the music into the aesthetic presentation of live visual projections and CD/vinyl packaging of their limited edition releases.
As well as many releasing limited edition material (CDRs & lathe-cut 7”s) themselves, Seaworthy have worked with many local and overseas labels including Feral Media (Australia), Black Lodge Audio (Australia), Celebrate Psi Phenomenon (New Zealand), Misplaced Music (UK), 555 (UK), Marino (US) and Fat Cat (UK). Map In Hand was originally released as a limited edition of 128 copies on Feral Media. Also, Seaworthy was featured on the recent 12k compilation, Blueprints (12k1039)